Celebrating Female Engineers in the Department of Works and Highways

Photograph: 2015 Mid-year Budget Review held at Dixie’s Bungalow outside Port Moresby | Inset: Taken this year in Madang.

In the long and colourful history of the Department of Works & Highways, which spans back to 1953, only two female civil engineers have served as Provincial Works Managers. They were Genevieve Kalenda and Josephine Ambelye.

Genevieve Kalenda, from the Western Islands of Manus Province, was appointed as Provincial Works Manager in her hometown in 2012, a position she held for almost eight years before transferring to East New Britain Province. She graduated from the PNG University of Technology in 2004. Kalenda currently serves as Principal Engineer for the New Guinea Islands Region, based in Kokopo. She is now in her 21st year with the Department.

Graduating from Unitech in 1995, Josephine Ambelye commenced her employment in Port Moresby with the private sector before moving to Madang in 2003 to join the Department. She rose through the ranks and was promoted to Provincial Works Manager in 2012. Later, in 2014, she was posted to Jiwaka to set up the Works Office following the establishment of the new province. Ambelye resigned in 2017 to contest the National General Election. She is now employed by JBS Consultants.

When asked about their biggest challenges, Kalenda says, “It is trying to balance motherhood and work. I was pregnant but I had to camp out in the bush and walk for hours… Even in my son’s childhood days, I would bring him to the office with me… Other times he would be at the back of the Landcruiser as we inspected maintenance works along the East/West Highway.”

“I was comfortable being in Madang, but in Jiwaka, that was something else. I had to overcome two battles—both male-dominated: at work, and in society,” recalls Ambelye. “To be the leader of the pack, you just have to prove your worth and show you are just as capable.”

The Department of Works & Highways provides equal opportunity for female officers under its GESI Policy. Two other female engineers serve as Principal Engineers: Renzy Minato (Southern) and Sophie Ere (Highlands). Another, Leka Heve, is the Assistant Secretary (Materials, Standards & Technology).

A few more young female civil engineers have joined the Department, and that is encouraging as we embark on our journey beyond 50 years.

We Celebrate our History. We Inspire our Future.